In 2020, Anna was told she had Stage 4 cancer and to “go home and get your affairs in order.” In a matter of weeks, everything changed. Plans for travel disappeared. The future became uncertain. Anna had entered the world of palliative care. 

But what came next might surprise you. Anna and her husband Bill chose to focus on living. 

Together for more than 30 years, they’ve built a life grounded in family, nature, and community. And in the face of uncertainty, those things became even more important. 

Focusing on the future, they created a small acreage they call the “Rusty Spade”; a place filled with gardens, wildlife, laughter, and connection. A place where their children, friends, and community gather. A place where life continues to grow. 

“Some of the best years of our thirty-two together have been these last five,” Bill shares. 

Anna and Bill’s story is about more than illness. 

It’s about focusing on what matters. Doing the things you love. Talking openly about how you feel, every step of the way. It’s about the strength found in each other, in family, and in the community that surrounds them.

Because no one should have to walk this journey alone. And that’s why we need you.